


Flirtation

by Tormented_Gale



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: AU, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 06:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2498159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tormented_Gale/pseuds/Tormented_Gale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peony and Aslan try to spend some time together. Tumblr Prompt: Flirtation, AslanXPeony</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flirtation

General Frings is one of the few people who actually doesn’t mind taking care of the rappigs. It’s a taxing job, to be sure, but they’re relatively well-behaved, and secretly he believes them to be rather cute.

He changes their food and water, cleans them, walks them (when Guy somehow gets out of the duty), and unlike most can name every single individual one of them. He takes pride in his work, just as he takes pride in everything else.

Except paperwork.

"Nephry, not right now," he says gently to the rappig that rubs up against his leg. His paperwork is spread out in front of him; no spot of the table is left untouched. He groans when he realizes there’s actually  _more_ there now and begins to wonder if it’s somehow reproducing.

"Aslan? You in here?" Emperor Peony, as usual, smiles as he walks in completely unannounced.

Aslan is on his feet in seconds and salutes. Peony just gives him an amused smile and walks over to the table. He scans it, frowns, and turns back just as Aslan relaxes.

"What are you doing?" Peony asks and motions to the piles.

"Reports," Aslan sighs and realizes the Emperor is in one of ‘those’ moods. He braces for the silliness of the man he secretly calls ‘lover’ behind the backs of every single one of Peony’s advisers. Peony’s hand slides behind his head to the back of his neck and gently presses the tense muscles he finds.

"All of this is terrible for your health," Peony remarks and for once sounds serious. Aslan leans into the gesture and offers a little smile to the other man. Peony’s eyes are gentle and concerned, and Aslan lifts his hand up to touch the side of the Emperor’s face.

"I still have to get it done. If you did some of yours - "

Peony shakes his head, still stroking the back of Aslan’s neck. “But that’s paperwork. I only do…  _throne_ work.”

"That is the worst excuse you’ve ever come up with."

"How about ‘I spend all my time with the man I love - ‘"

"That’s worse, nevermind."

"I wish it was the truth. I miss you."

That’s it. Aslan drops the pen, stands up, and holds Peony close to him. They never get this sort of time together, always too busy dealing with assassination attempts or politics to touch each other, to simply talk. Aslan feels his chest clench at that thought, and clutches Peony tighter. Neither speaks.

"You smell really good," Peony breathes and Aslan snorts into his chest. "What? You do."

"You’re just trying to flatter."

"You  _know_ I’m no good at that.”

Aslan tilts his head up and gives the man a hopeless look. He gently touches Peony’s face and leans up to kiss him, feeling those lips part just for him, just so, just perfe-

They have to break when Nephry decides it’s her turn for attention. The rappig wedges herself between them and promptly sits down, glancing up and snorting.

"There goes our time," Aslan sighs and stoops to scratch at the rappig’s ears.

"Maybe after you finish all that paperwork, we could - "

"Don’t you have a council meeting?"

Peony’s face drains of color. “Uh oh.” Already they can hear the others looking for the emperor. “Hide me?”

"They’re your advisors. You deal with them," Aslan says and gives a quick kiss to Peony’s cheek just as the advisors bust into the room. He’s already settled back into his paperwork while Peony looks on, apparently stunned.

"Your Majesty! There you are!"

Peony gives Aslan a pleading look, but the general has to fight the smile off of his lips and can’t look at the other man. Just as Peony is whisked out the door, Aslan finally lets out a little laugh, and knows there’s bound to be trouble later on. Maybe they’ll get a chance to be together later - he supposes he can try to make the Emperor feel better after all those meetings. Perhaps he’ll feel better too.

For now, though, his life was rappigs and paperwork.


End file.
